


Big Damn Heroes

by Pink_Dalek



Category: Endeavour (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-15
Updated: 2013-12-15
Packaged: 2018-01-04 16:30:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1083191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pink_Dalek/pseuds/Pink_Dalek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by the events near the end of "Home," when Morse shows up with the cavalry. I wondered what Morse and the others were doing while Fred was getting his gun, trying to comfort Win, and confronting the Kaspers. In the uncut scene, Bright even gets a badass moment when he tell Vic Kasper to get out of Oxford.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Big Damn Heroes

**Author's Note:**

> Besides "Home," this story owes a lot to TV Tropes, specifically the Big Damn Heroes page (if you've never been to the site, be prepared to lose hours of your life). When I first saw that scene in "Home," I immediately thought of the 'Firefly' quote.

Mal: Well, look at this! Appears we got here just in the nick of time. What does that make us?   
Zoe: Big damn heroes, sir!   
Mal: Ain't we just?  
— _Firefly_ , "Safe"

 

As Morse reviewed the documents from Alistair Coke-Norris' secret file, everything started to come together. As it did, he realized how and why the file had turned up in his luggage. A horrible weight dropped into his gut and he stuffed the file back in his bag, hurrying to the door. He could do nothing for his father at this point, but he had a chance to help Fred Thursday. It was a lucky break the train had been delayed just outside the station.

He hopped down from the train, landing lightly, and trotted back toward the station, slipping a bit here and there. His dress shoes weren't made for snow. The moment he reached the station he found a phone and called in. "CID please. This is DC Morse. It's an emergency."

"CID, Constable Strange." His friend's voice was a welcome relief. If Jakes had answered, with his usual attitude on board, it wouldn't have gone well. There were moments Morse imagined devising the perfect murder, only to realize that even if nobody figured it out, the guilt would drive him to confess within a fortnight.

"Strange, it's Morse."

"Matey! What's going on?"

"I'm on my way back to the station. Thursday put Coke-Norris' secret file in my bag."

"Why'd he do that?"

"To keep it safe. Someone in the conspiracy threatened his family. I think they're trying to blackmail him into giving them the file."

"But he won't do that." Strange sounded worried. "He's in trouble, isn't he?"

"He's convinced it's Vic Kasper, but he's wrong. It's the son, Vince, in the middle of it. Is he there with you?"

"No. Inspector Thursday hasn't come back from dropping you off at the train." 

Morse bit back a curse. "If he went to the Moonlight Rooms to confront them, all hell's going to break loose. Is Bright there?"

"Just saw him a few minutes ago. Want me to get him?"

Morse debated. He'd wanted to talk to Bright face to face, so he could show him the evidence backing up his theory. And he'd wanted Fred at his side for support. But if Fred wasn't at the police station, there was only one place he could be. His career, and more likely his life, was at stake. "Yes, please. Hurry!"

Strange put him on hold. Morse fidgeted while he waited. After what felt like forever the line picked up. "Bright here. Morse, aren't you supposed to be on a train? And what are you doing with that file?"

"Fred Thursday and his family are in danger. Kasper's people threatened him, sent a funeral wreath to his home."

He heard a faint gasp. "He never said anything."

"Probably trying to solve his problems by himself. He confronted them at the Moonlight Rooms the other night. I'm afraid one of them heard about the file and tried to blackmail him. He won't give it to them-- he can't. He put it in my bag to keep it safe and give me a chance to study it on the train. The thing is, it's not Vic Kasper in the Booth Hill scheme, it's Vince, his son. Coke-Norris collected evidence that he's formed a group that's been bribing Carlile at the planning commission. Frobisher, the master of Badeley, is in it up to his neck as well. And it's not just Vince Kasper-- the Fletcher brothers are partners with him. Looks like the only one not involved is Vic Kasper."

"My god," Bright breathed. "You have evidence?"

"Professor Coke-Norris was very thorough."

The line went slightly muffled, like Bright had half-covered the mouthpiece. Morse could hear the chief asking Strange where Thursday was. Then he returned to the line. "Inspector Thursday's not here."

"Call his home. If he's not there, ask Win if he's said anything to her. I'll get a taxi to the station." Morse raced from the station and hailed a cab, showing his badge. "Cowley police station, and hurry. It's an emergency." The cabbie drove as quickly as he safely could, earning a generous tip when they arrived. Morse took the steps two at a time, reaching a CID office that reminded him of a disturbed anthill. Bright was in the midst of it.

"Have you got it?" Bright asked.

Morse handed him the file, stashed his bag under his desk, then started showing Bright what he'd found. "Has Fred turned up yet?"

"No," Strange said. "Mrs. Thursday said he'd been home and got his gun. The Kaspers threatened their daughter, and now this. She's worried sick."

Morse stared at him. "They threatened Joan? Did Win say where he'd gone?"

"She didn't know. She's beside herself."

Morse's heart sank. "He has to be on his way to the Moonlight to confront Vic Kasper. Even if he manages to get a shot off, they'll kill him." He turned to Bright, blue eyes intense. "We have to stop him, sir."

"Dixon, Strange, get over there. Dixon, call out a half-dozen PCs. Make sure they're armed. Rifles, not pistols." Bright had changed from a fussy little man to a leader, calmly giving orders. Everyone jumped to do his bidding. "Morse, you're with me."

A PC drove them to the nightclub. Morse still had the file with him. Bright asked Morse details about the evidence, in between ordering constables over the radio to arrest Frobisher and Carlile. Bright was growing angrier with every new thing he learned. "The Master at Badeley had the nerve to complain to the chief constable! And the chief told me to order you to leave Frobisher alone. Meanwhile, all this is going on!" He shook his head, his voice dropping to darker tones. "One starts out trusting people. Then one starts wondering who's trustworthy. If you hadn't kept digging, they'd have gotten away with it: the master, this chap Carlile-- and we'd have the London mob with a foothold in Oxford." Bright sounded defeated. Then he shook himself out of it. "We'll stop it, Constable Morse," he said firmly. "And hopefully we can keep Fred Thursday out of trouble."

"I'll settle for keeping him alive," Morse answered quietly.

When they pulled up outside the Moonlight Rooms, sirens off, Bright quickly organized the group. "May I go in first, to see if Thursday's there?" Morse asked. "I know the layout of the place."

Bright nodded. "We'll be right behind you. Don't take any risks."

They tiptoed in, Morse leading the way with Strange and Bright flanking him. A pair of constables quietly cleared the few employees they met, moving them into a side room and guarding them. The rest, rifles at the ready, were right behind Bright and Strange. As they reached the doorway to the main ballroom, they could hear Thursday and Vic Kasper's voices. Morse drew a breath and went in to confront Vince Kasper with proof of his crimes. The others waited until the right moment, then Bright sent the rest of his force in.

Fred lowered his gun immediately and the gangsters were quickly disarmed.

Bright entered last, composed. If the theme from _High Noon_ was playing in his head, nobody had to know. "All in order, Thursday?"

Fred sounded equally composed. "Yes sir. All in order. Morse?" 

Morse, as the one who'd put it all together, got the honor of arresting Vince Kasper and reading him his rights, as well as advising Cynthia Riley that she was needed for questioning.

Bright looked Vic Kasper in the eye. "Go back to London, Mr. Kasper. Oxford's not for you." And he hoped with all he had that it was true.


End file.
